The FAST Way to Spiritual Breakthrough | Dr Daniel Kong

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I hite for you, God bless question before I begin? True or false?

Crazy? Okay? God wants my life to be smooth and easy at

all times? True or false? Oh all, you guys are not optimistic

people. Yeah, but but it is true, right, I mean it

is true? That is false? That right. God hasn't promised promised us

anything like this. You know he's promised. But although having said that,

he's promised that he was sustained us and carry us true, right, regardless

of the circumstances, right, true, different trials through different challenges in life.

Okay, Before I started this, you know, I always share if

you have read bad at making titles. I said, so, actually got

my wife to help a little bit. Even before that. I tell you

the first draft of title is very, very bad because I felt that this

is uh, this message was more about you know, God taking taking us

or me out of a frying pan, a hot frying pan and entrance in

the fire, kind of a thing. So I actually titled this a little

bit earlier frying pan faith, which is not the best thing. Sorry.

The second revision there is the fast way to spiritual breakthrough. Okay, so

thank you God. But anyway, the reason why I did this is because

I'm gonna be speaking along the I mean in accordance to chapter three of the

Book of Daniel. And then you may know of this famous story about the

fire and the three boys or kids the fire. The reason why I call

them kids because as I shared previously, these were all teenagers during that time.

Okay, So these are young boys that I filled with faith. Okay,

And we're continuing this series about heaven rules. I started off with a

general run through a Book of Daniel, I think a few weeks ago,

I think in February, and then, um, the last time we've met,

I did Daniel one, chapter one, okay, And just to recap,

that's a story about King nap as I call him my bro, that

he came in and then he took over the land. Uh, and but

God allowed it, and I sort of spoke about you know how if you

look at the true men's perspective, it's a bit different from looking at through

Heaven's perspective or God's perspective. Okay, so there's two sides of the coin

to this. But of course you also know that story. They had a

special diet, right dietary, special diet, and then with that God also

enabled these four young men to do wonderful things that is beyond human, you

know, possible human, because I think they received something from the Lord and

then also caught a glimpse of Heaven's perspective. Okay, so that's Daniel one.

I want to skip past Daniel two, sorry, because I don't have

enough time to go to everything. But this is a story where King nep

has a dream and then the interpretional dream happened in Daniel two. But because

it was so family sunday, I thought maybe he'll just do a quick video,

a kid's video. But we're not going to be covering that per se

in this service. But at least there's some continuity in the one, two,

and three after that, Okay, two years after rising to the throne

of Babylon, King Nebeca Nazzar had a terrible dream. This dream frightened him

so much that he couldn't sleep. King Nebeca Nazzar, in anguish and desperate

to learn what the dream meant, called in all the wise men known to

him to see if any of them could interpret his dream. The wise men

came before King Nebeca Nazzar and asked him to tell them about his dream,

but the king refused. King Nebchadnezzar demanded that the wise men first tell him

what he dreamed, and then what the dream meant. The king declared,

if you can do this, I will give you great rewards. If not,

I will have you put to death. In disbelief of the king's request,

the wise men said, King Nebuchadnezzar, what you ask is impossible.

No one can do what you ask. Only a god could tell you your

dream. This made King Nebuchadnezzar so angry that he ordered that all his wise

men be put to death, including Daniel and his friends Shadrach, Nishach and

Abednego. When the king's chief soldier Ariok came to capture Daniel, he asked

Arioch what was going on. Ariok explained the situation, and Daniel went to

King Nebuchadnezzar to ask for time to interpret the dream. The King agreed,

and Daniel hurried back to see Shadrach Meshach and Abednego so that they could pray

for God's help. That night, God revealed to Daniel the king's dream and

its meaning. The next morning, Daniel went to Arioch and said, don't

execute the wise men of Babylon. I will interpret the king's dream. When

Arioch brought Daniel before King nevichud Nazzar, the troubled tired king asked, Daniel,

can you tell me what I saw in my dream? Daniel replied,

no one could tell you this, but there is a God in heaven who

reveals mysteries. He showed me your dream and what it means, Daniel told

the king, God showed you the future through your dream. In your dream,

you saw a statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of

silver, belly and thighs of wrongs, legs of iron, and feet of

iron mixed with clay. Then a rock smashed the statue. The Roc became

a mountain that filled the whole earth. You, King, are the head

of gold, and every other part of the statue are the kingdoms that will

come after you. The Roc represents a kingdom that God will establish that will

last forever. King Nebecudnezzar bowed before Daniel and showed him great honor for all

that God had spoken through him. The king said, surely your God is

the God of gods and the lord of kings, the one who can reveal

the greatest of mysteries. For his service, King Nebuchadnezzar promoted Daniel to a

high position and placed him in charge of all the wise men. At Daniel's

request, the king also promoted Shadhrak Mishach and Abednego to rule over all the

provinces of Babylon. Yeah. So, just like I said, just a

quick, short, three minute video so that you understand the context, Okay,

because it's also very important today that we're covering Daniel chapter three, because

we're going to be looking at just in case you're not aware the scripture reading

for today's Daniel chapter three or the whole chapter. Okay, so just turn

your Bibles to that particular chapter and then you'll be fine. Okay, But

yeah, coming back to this dance. Chapter three also talks about another statue,

Okay, but it's not the same statue, but there is some relationship

with some ties to the previous statue that was before. Okay. So as

you can see from the video earlier, there is different materials being utilized.

Okay. There is the goal, silver, et cetera, stater and all

the way down to clay. Okay, so it gets western, right,

I have a slide, um, I listen. He helped me out the

slide. I can't remember. There's a blue color slide. Okay, So

that's what it looks like a game. Are not to go too deep in

this because this is Daniel chapter two. But in Daniel chapter three we see

another statue. Okay, and this statue was a little bit different. Looks

almost the same, or at least illustrated almost the same, but it's actually

made of a goal. Okay, So it jumps straight into general chapter three

versus one. I'm going to read from scripture, so we can Edison help

me out. Nebuchenezza, the king made an image of goal this verse one,

uh okay, whose height was sixty cubits now sixty cubits. If you

see the A over there, if you click on that A, or you

look at your Bible with the A, it will tell you that this is

about ninety feet or roughly translated to about thirty meters or roughly about eight stories

high, just to give you an idea and context. Again, So I

found it very strange. Actually laughed out loud whenever I first read it,

because it's about thirty sorry. It was a sixty sorry, sixty cubits high

and six cubits wide. So I thought it's just like a big box kind

of a thing. So I thought it's very funny. But of course I

think it is more than that. I think there's also some platform in the

area. But needless to say, this is um although it sounded episode when

I say the way I say this is now it's probably like some kind of

obelisk kind of a setup. You know what the obelisk is. It's like

those who play games alast you know there's a tower kind of a thing injuries.

It's a monument or signifies the established place. Okay, I've got some

pictures behind me. An obelists on the right. Over there, that's an

obelis, but of course it's not Obelis, but it looks like the obelis.

Okay, And this is what it looks like. It's very tall structure.

Just to give you some context, but the left that you see the

two Okay, the statue in Daniel chapter two. That's why I wanted to

show the video so you have a rough idea. But you're gonna go deeper

in the statue in Daniel chapter three, which is the one that is pretty

tall and also made of goal. But of course if you actually dig a

bit, Deepert scholars have actually said that it's not pure Gola. They probably

have some quoting because it's not feasible, but meanless to say it's too expensive.

Okay, it's stio expensive. But as you saw from the video earlier

before we jumped to chapter three, right, you wonder why did he do

this? If you were wondered, I mean at one points like oh wow,

you know the God of Daniel is a real god. You know,

I see so much. I can see it. I can see clearly now

right that this is God who rules right and now here he's building a statue,

as we'll find out a little later on, as a symbol, as

a thing that he would later you'll find out that he will get people to

worship it. Why do you think this happened? Like what happened between chapter

two and chapter three, what do you think? There is no answer to

this, by the way, many scholars have debated what has happened, but

nobody can be really really sure. So one day when we go up and

see Daniel, will probably ask this question low but anyway, you know it

probably it is because he believes in a lot of gods. That was one

theory because during that time the Babylonians, you know, they worshiped deities gods

in a very poly you know, is a very multiple god, multiple deity

kind of a way, okay, and it's very prevalent. So maybe during

that time is also culturally appropriate for them to worship many gods, including the

god of Daniel. So that's one one one theory. The other theory is

also that maybe he was pressured by his advisors at that time and he does

concern his advice god a fabbit, but we never will never know. But

the one thing that we can be sure from this from this reading is that

he's definitely wanting to take on the dream that he got, which is the

hit of goal, right and put it across the entire body right. So

um, and people think that this is a symbol that is not collapsible or

not destroyable compared to what has happened to dream. So it's almost trying to

defy or change the interpretation of the dream to stain extent. I'm trying to

say, Okay, so if you need me to slow down, you can

let me know what I can slow down. But that's just a rough So

it's very contrary to what has happened in the worst before. Okay. But

one thing that can be uh, we can be sure of. He may

be a bit giddy with power, giddy with acknowledgement, giddy with like trying

to like, oh, I need to exert my influence because why I'm king

and not just king. I am at the time, I'm God, small

g I'm small g God. And then this is a way to to show

that status. Okay, okay, so far okay, so um. So

in another way to put it, he's flexing his muscles, la or he's

flexing oh no, I'm God, all right, okay, yeah, flexing

okay, And it is a display of power, and it is to show

his kingdom. Now we reach verse two, and King nap okay, send

word to gather together the set traps, the administrators, the governors, the

counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all officials.

Okay, so a lot of people, uh huh. And then he came

to the province and then to come to the dedication of the image which King

Nap has set up. Okay, you look very carefully. He says he

has set it up. All right, So I'm gonna skip all those things,

and so I'm going to accustomed to just officials. So the officials,

all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image or

sometimes in other transition, called statue that King Nebuchadnezza has set up, and

they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezza has set up. You see some trend

here. He set it up, He set it up, He set it

up. In that short verse or rather two verses, you hear three times

that the statue has been set up by him. So it's his choice.

Okay. Now, of course you read later there's more of this. He

set up, has set up, but you can just understand that it is

something, uh that that he is his choice. Okay, that's what I'm

trying to say. Let's jump to worse four. Hey, then the then

a herald cried aloud to you. It is commanded all people's nations and languages

that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, the flute,

the harp, the liar, and the I can't I can't pronounce his word,

okay, in symphony with all kindstomers, so basically all music, you

shall fall and worship. And I'll pause here for a while because the word

worship is being used. Okay, worship you will also see in the rest

of chapter three being used a lot of times, not like the worship that

we know, but it's just in this context worshiping him. Okay. I

counter about ten or more. So you can go and find out yourself.

Okay. You are to worship the goal image that King Nap has set up

again. You see he's set it up again. Okay. And whoever does

not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the miss of burning fiery

furnace. I mean, he saw no where this story goes. Okay.

So there's a very strange situation if you think about it. Why do I

say strange, because it's like him giving himself an award. Recently we talk

about academy award, and it's not an Academy award, but it's something like,

you know, he's declaring himself as, oh, I'm the Time magazine

people or person Men of the Year kind of a thing. And then it's

not that he's inviting people to come and celebrate with him, right kind of

right or not just that not inviting commanding to be specific, right otherwise you

know what happened la, So it's like come, come, come and congratulate

me, come and write a good review about me. Otherwise, you know,

the kind thing. But but yeah, it reminds us also of about

the I guess the proudness of uh, you know, like what happened told

Babel, people are very proud of what they can do, the wisdom house

smart we are, and therefore we build the tower to signify the glory of

human right. But the statute I'm trying to say is the statute is actually

a sort of like a monument of the greatness of man, because we you

and I know that this guy is just a man. He's no God.

He thinks he's God, but it's not quite God. Wow, He's not

He's not quite all Okay, So, but all the subjects has to bow

down to him and swear allegiance to him. Okay, And of course we

also sometimes you think a thing cannot be Okay, we happen during the time,

it may not happen today. This guy's also using religion to an extent

to to manipulate what he needs or what he wants to do. But if

you think about it, especially in our cultural context, right, it's also

not very far fetch. You know, sometimes we use mix politics and religion

a little bit to try to get what we want to get. Right.

I won't go any further. I think you catch I'm trying to say otherwise

again the trouble, but you get what I'm trying to say, right,

Why because sometimes there's a blurt lines between trying to gain something politically and mixing

up with some loyalty about even God. They sort of played the religion card.

Okay, So it's not very far fetched, but sight try better.

Here's what I wanted to quickly say. You know, God stated or Jesus

in Matthew twenty two give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar of course always remed

this word right. So I'm talking about governments and officials and all that kind

of thing. But give God what belongs to God. Now, the reason

why I bring this up is because we need to make a distinction between what

belongs to man, what belongs to governments, what belongs to authority, and

what actually belongs to God. Worship is one thing belongs to God. So

for this human to want to be worshiped, he's basically in some sense they're

trying to erupt that of what belongs to God. La. Okay, So

there's a side side and order. So we owe our worship to God,

capitol gin now, okay. We don't owe our worship to Caesar, to

earthly kings, to King Nap, to any political leaders sometime to quickly saying

okay now just in case, yeah, yeah, there's it's not clear,

let's just go to worst six. It's also stated very clearly that whoever does

not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of fiery furnace.

Mean to say, you're dialer, Okay, there's no escaping if you

fast forward. You also know that he didn't just turn on a small fire.

He upped it quite a fair bit, right if you come to that

in bid Okay, now, I'm going to take a pause one now for

a while. But coming back to worship and what belongs to God and what

belongs to you know, well what doesn't belong to human okay. So there's

this constant battle for worship, okay. And he goes the extra mail right

to even issue a threat, a threat that if you do not follow,

I mean to say, if you do not follow his sovereign room, you

will die, okay, and you'll be dealt with harshly. Now, this

is a very familiating They use fear to get what they want, the earthly

small jealer okay, And it's not and it's you know, even in the

book of Genesis all the way to Revelation, you see this a lot.

Okay. So it's always a battle for worship. And it's why sometimes you

say worship, right, you must understand this the sanity or the or the

specialty or worship that only you and God can have. It's not even with

other men. Sometimes you do corporate worship together, that's all good, but

it's only really between you and God. It's a very special kind of thing.

But of course men try to have this very warped understanding of this they

even try to to to to the term is, you know, trying to

be deities or defied or those of you who watch highlanders, they trying to

be immortals can be God, right, So they're trying to become like God.

And when they do that, what happens is that they also diminish God

at the same time. Okay, So when you want worship, you are

trying to become like God. At the same time you are making capital good

lesser of for God. Ever, get it so far, okay, looking

at try trying to understand this from Heaven's perspective. Okay. So this is

the fallen humanity, the demand to to to to one worship okay, which

is only really created for our creator. Okay. And and of course the

tendency most of the time if people do not follow these quote unquote false gods,

they would then destroy the people. Okay, So I put in some

of the Oh they don't know again, pick and see or not. But

yeah, it is there's a tendency. They will destroy things that do not

comply. Okay. In fact, if you look at the Book of Revelation,

chapter thirteen, okay, they will describe a similar kind of thing where

if for those who refuse to worship the image of the beasts will be killed.

Okay, for those of you who like I put it a picture of

the beasts, there is quite ugly beast, but that is the intensity.

But if you do not bow down to that beast, you will die.

And this is the again, it's a similar kind of a thing. But

of course a revelation coming back here. So let's let's move on. Okay,

every okay, so far, okay, so again, stop me if

I'm going through every single verse today, so God help me finish. Okay,

now all right? Verse seven. So at that time when all the

people heard the sound, because some versions we use the word sound, it

replace it with music. You get the idea that all those trumpets sounds and

all that kind of thing music, and this music is a powerful has a

powerful role in worship, as we understand it. Right, So this is

worship, all right, and it says all people, nations, languages fell

down or fall fell down and worship the God image which King Nebugen has a

set up. Again. It's against he's again he set it up. Okay,

So as you think about this scene, what's happening here is people are

stealing worship away from God. The king himself is actually stealing. It's the

main culprit there that belongs to God. Because why if you read some hundred

and seventeen, okay, it says here, praise the Lord, all you

nations, same words, same words being used, and all all your nations

praise him, all you people of the earth. So what are these people

of the earth doing here? Right? They're falling down and worshiping a statue

of an earthly king or an earthly small g O. D has set up.

Because we've seen it. He's set it up. He set up,

he set up. He's not from Upper Birth, is from a guy down

here on Earth. Okay, So I just listen some context here. So

if you look at this and I think malaysious, you are very familive.

This expression counterfeit or chet Out Rompark equivalent. This is a counterfeit worship is

what I'm trying to say, a chet Out Rompark version, Okay, because

worship is meant to be of heaven. This is an earthly version of it.

And he's definitely not the real deal. Okay, what do I mean

by the real deal? If you go and read revelations, you will see

how every tribe, language, people nation, This is revelation for Fiver,

you'll talk about you'll fall down not before monuments, right explicit there, not

before monuments to mankind, but will fall down before the throne of God and

worship the Lamb, which is the genuine worship. Okay. So that's the

contrast between the two. Okay, that's why if we understand, revelation is

the endgame, right, not talking about the shower the endgame. We are

to move forward and aim towards that. But King nap here is you know,

he just he wants the Gloryla. In short, he wants to worship,

and he wants all nations, all languages all to fall out and worship

him or me in his case. Right. And you may say why people

do it. Maybe it's fear, Maybe they caught up, they got caught

up with the emotions. Maybe it's pure pressure. How many of you Sometimes

we do things because of everybody? Do you were queuing up your que up,

La? You know, don't know what's it about, but I just

go and see, you know, I think it maybe be something like that.

And it's very human quote unquote human to do that, but all this

right, if you take that all away right, you must also understand right

it is mainly it might be some kind of minus obedience because of fear.

Okay, but the culprit here is King Nap. He is the biggest quote

unquote liar in this example, right because he definitely knows that authority doesn't belong

to him. He thinks he has it, but it's not okay because like

I said one verse, one chapter ago, he definitely understood that he wasn't

okay, But some thing's never changed. Right. Sometimes we get caught up

with popularity stuff. Like I said, even into this context, we understand

this. We may also pledge allignce with some humans and then we follow humans.

But we must must always understand right that when Heaven rules, like how

we've established the last few uh you know sharing before this, it is really

your alignment. We've got nothing to do human. So whenever you feel that

there is any pressure, even within your close friends, to do something that

you do not feel right with God, please yeah, go and set your

your your I guess your communication right and make sure that you hear from God

because Heaven rules means you have to have a direct relationship with God to understand

where you're hitting. Okay, Okay, now just let's move on a little

bit, otherwise I will not finish. Um. You know, this whole

thing about the friends find being found out right actually would not have even found

out right if they basically people do not read them out because you imagine this

is such a big crowd, masses and masses of people. Only three jokers

did not comply. We wonder we also wonder where Daniel was in this time,

you know, because actually there's no mention in the whole chapter where Daniel

was. Yeah, anyway, when you go back, you're going to have

it asking. Okay, But anyway, three three, three of a crowd

of probably millions of people, how did they find out? Definitely it was

they Someone's someone pointed out, well, I actually put something here just to

wake everybody because the afternoon service next light I call it. Is it a

time for revenge? Okay, of course it's a joke. There's not backstabbing

or anything like that. But the Babylonians were the ones that actually pointed out

that these three guys were not doing what they were caught to do. Okay,

maybe there was some jealousy. As you know in chapter one, chapter

two, there's a lot of favor, right that has happened to these four

guys, and maybe the Babylonians were jealous, and therefore they have been looking

for opportunities to just do this and create some trouble. And they pointed out,

oh, this guy did not bow down, as you can read here

in versus it. Therefore, at a certain time the Chaldeans came forward and

accused the Jews, which is these three guys. They spoke and said to

King Nap o King, live forever, you, o King, have made

a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the music shall fall down and

worship the gold image. And whoever who does, sorry, whoever does not

fall down and worships, shall be cast into the midst of the burning furnace.

So it's just reminded the king of what the rules that the king said,

and saying, okay, that this guy did not follow the rules,

and therefore they should be punished. Chapter Sorry, worst Trael. There are

certain Jews who came who sorry, whom have set over the affairs of the

province of Babylon. Of course, we're talking about Shadrek mischek and a bebbing

goal. These these men, old king have not paid due regard or in

other words, they have ignored you. La. They didn't do what they're

supposed to do. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image

which you have set up. Okay, okay, now I think you put

yourself in the shoes of the three. How would you react in the scenario?

Will you start to tremble and fear shaking your boots? I don't know

they sandals back then, But what do you think? Will you feel angry?

Is it? Okay? If you're angry. More importantly, let's let's

try and see how they reacted. Okay, they did not do They did

not react in a very bad way. In fact, they didn't want to

protest. Sometimes you know when people accused something like, oh no, I

didn't do it. Lot not me. You probasedw somebody else. It's the

guy next to me, right, But no, they did not protest.

In fact, they were very responsible, very respectful, uh citizens at the

time in the empire. As you know, they're not from the Empire Babylon,

but they were brought in in chapter one. They saw they served under

the king. Uh, and they but they stood firm they will not worship

any other god. And they made no attempt to hide the fact either.

But they did not I guess they did not pick a fightler after that.

They just yeah, that's just that's just my stance, my stand. Uh.

They were in the crowd definitely worshipping, but they were and they were

not even saying things or defending themselves to preserve their own life. Because we

know definitely what the consciens are right just now. Sometimes we were like,

oh, panic, oh, I feel like I have to do this because

otherwise I couldna whatever. That's even sometimes that you know, you get caught

caught by the cops and then you'd be like, oh I have to do

it. You don't have to do it. Actually, in this case,

their lives were a stick. It's even high stakes there, right, But

they chose to obey and honor their God because they know what's important, even

when it comes to even not preserving their life. They chose wisely and not

to all react as well. So I put up this thing with some passports

over the Oh yeah, thanks, good respectful. Now this I put my

slights say, because sometimes I've get okra, size I put up, so

I promise that I can see takes. Yeah, so good, respectful citizens,

okay, but it must remember your ultimate citizenship rights a ship with the

Lord, not here on earth, but heavenly citizenship, okay. And what

it is translates to is just that your loyalty should always lie to the Kingdom

of Heaven, not the kingdom of earth. Although yes, you're respect too,

you're still here. You do what you need to do, even Jesus.

You look at Jesus, right, he took the temptation in the wilderness,

right, and he refused to worship Satan. And of course we know

Satan. He was cast down from Heaven. In fact, he was given

rule here on earth, right, sy technically he's the boss on earth.

Love for this for this period, But Jesus didn't, didn't. I mean,

he's part of this world at the time, but he's also understanding his

true citizenship in Heaven. So Heaven rules. Lad in short, Okay,

you understood that, okay, So you shall worship the Lord, your God

and nobody else. And that's what they understood, and he and they stood

firm. Okay. Now let me take a pause for a while. With

this, And let's look at um King Nap, the character, the main

character here the start of the show. Okay, now you know, pride,

it's a very powerful thing, right, It can really blindside people,

right, people who are greedy, who people are I think very higher himselves,

can really be blindsided. Remember a few chapters ago, King Nap was

like, oh, you know, you guys are like fantastic best servants in

the house, blah blah blah. And now he's like, hey, these

guys, what happened there? Yeah, but he's just blindsighted because the resistance

of these three guys didn't go well, why do you think about it?

He already said a rule, he said the decree. These are clear instructions.

He cannot go against it anymore because otherwise no face, shameful life,

I think. Right, So he cannot tolerate that the demands cannot be met.

If the demands are not met, then his authority isn't there anymore.

And this is the pride portion of this character here. Okay, and um,

if you look at it, how do you react here? Of course

he became angry, he was ruthless, and again you know, just to

sight not the bitter you know we're going through this whole period of fasting and

prayer, right, prayer and fasting. Okay. The reason why we fast,

right, it's not just for I think we live enough a diet and

all that kind of thing, but really is to humble ourselves. When you

humble yourselves, you see things differently. He is blindsighted because there's no humility

here. Okay. He even ate, of course, you know at the

time the best of the best Daniel all added and gang, not not this

Daniel, but the other Daniel. Uh. You know, they ate the

special diet, right, and yet they are still stronger than the others,

and they are most importantly their humility, and therefore they saw things a bit

differently. Okay, So this is like about fasting. Okay, let me

go through. Thirteen day is running quick. Then Nap King Nap in rage

and fury. He's always when there's when there's all this, uh, this

pride in places, always rage and fury, and gave the command to bring

the three I mean goes okay, to come before the king. And then

Nap spoke and saying, is it true that the three of you that you

do not serve my gods or worship the gold image with I have set up

again me again. It's the eye end in the picture. Okay. Now,

if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the music,

you will fall down and worship again the word worshipper, the image which

I have made. But if you do not worship, you shall cast into

it, should be immediately cast into the burning, fiery furnace. And you

who is the God who deliver you? Sorry? Sorry? And who is

the God who will deliver you from your hands? From my hands? Sorry?

So this is almost like a challenge, you know, to their god

to say that you only know the rules. I give you a warning a

day you just bow down a lie is still okay, and I will still

forgive you as long as you do it. So he's trying to challenge because

he knows that if this is continues on, they do what they do,

what they do, right, then he has no authority anymore. And of

course then the pride, I said, the pride is the is the main

catalyst here. Okay. So he wants he believed, he definitely believes he's

the most powerful god, small g Okay, he believed that he was God,

and he was he was his own God, and he lays down the

challenge, and he dares the capital g God that they that they these guys

claim to worship, will rescue him. Let's see whether God comes in worship

you or not. That's pretty much what that particular versus. Okay, so

the challenge is on. Okay, King Naps say that if your God is

real, comer, bring it on. Let's see whether this will work.

And of course we know the consequence right sixteen Okay, so they say it

to the king, Oh, King Nap, we have no need. These

are the three guys. Are they no need to answer you in this matter?

See again, they are not retaliating. They are just presenting facts.

Perhaps, if you're there, I probably think that they're probably very soft spoken

as well, not with a loud King Nap probably be like, you don't

you don't follow me? I think you know so, So it's a very

different perspective. I think. If that's the case, our God whom we

serve, is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace, and

he will deliver us from your hand, o King. But if not,

let it be known to you, o King, that we do not serve

your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up

so they remain calm and collected throughout the whole time. Okay, why do

you think they are calm and collected even facing death? Like I said,

sometimes you see easy for them to do it. I know, but you

know, you think about it. If you're in their shoes, right,

you probably compromise. Right, they were calm and collected. And the only

reason why after meditating through this passage right, it's a very simple passage,

but if you look at it right, there is no sense or panic in

this passage, right, is simply because I think they knew God in a

personal level. Right. They don't just hear of God. They know God

right. And because they knew God, the confidence is just another level.

And that's what you turn. It's all about as well. We want you

to have a personal relationship, not something that you know. Maybe your your

leader or your your someone that your journey with can share. I always use

the lustration, right, you know, you eat for somebody, the person's

to gets hungry. You need to feed yourself. You need to journey yourself.

Right, And no God, they knew God like there like their true

and living God. It's a personal God. Okay. Of course they know

how powerful the earthly king is, but they fear God more than the earthly

king. Okay, and therefore that's why they are come get us. Read

seventeen. It says here he can rescue us in seventeen, right, or

God can rescue us. And just to emphasize here, right, if you

look at verse eighteen. But even if he doesn't, that's not right.

It means he can, you know, but if he chooses not to,

it's okay, it's totally fine. I put up there another slide and it's

gonna help me out the one in the picture, sorry, the one the

guy lifting up his hands. Okay. So what I'm trying to say here

is that they understood that God is not a genie in the bottle kind of

a relationship. Sometimes we go to God only when we need help, when

we are going through calamities of troubles, and then we say God help me.

No, they knew God. And even if they God did not show

up or did not do that or do whatever they need, they're still fine.

They still will not compromise. Okay, this is a posture, right

that we can only have right, if we really have a personal issue,

we've got right, and how do we get there? Like I said,

true, just knowing him, they knew that God was not a genie,

was not a servant. They were the servants, Okay, they were community

to do his will, whatever that will may be. Even if the will

involves them getting killed, They're okay with that. Whatever it costs, whatever

it takes, they will do they will. And that's again a Heaven rules

perspective. Okay, So Daniel three eighteen, I've got two verses. I've

got two versions there, but I think the NLT does it better. But

even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, King,

your majesty that we will never serve your gods or worship the goals statue

you have set up. I think it's clear what their position is. They

will not, but they will not compromise even if God capitolog does not come

and rescue them. Okay, it's a choice, right, it's a choice.

And this reminds me of Job if you read Job thirteen. Right,

though I have the worst up there, though he slays or kills me,

yet I will trust him, or in other versions, I will hope in

him. I mean, how many of us can say something like that.

However, say this on a daily basis food for thought. Right, But

they believe in the resurrection, and if you believe in resurrection, you can

afford to say something like this. They are not even afraid to die.

Right. And if you believe the God that you're serving is the living God,

is the true God, life or death. If you understand what life

is on earth rather the how how does it compare to eternity, You'll be

probably okay with that and saying those things, okay, because I'm not saying

that you should go and say myself and stand in the road. They No,

No, nothing like that. You just have to understand that even if

God doesn't because sometimes you say this, if God you don't that I should

do one lie? You know, let's me in the middle of No.

No, you shouldn't be He shouldn't been negotiating your God. He's God,

You're not God, right, his kingdom not yoking them. Okay. So

they understood their position, okay, And they refuse to give any human being

the worship that belonged to God alone. They're making a stance, okay,

no matter how it may affect them now, So I have another slide after

that. It says a statement of faith. Okay, and this statement,

if you read the statement, it's a bold statement. It says they refuse

to give, sorry one before, they refused to give any human being the

worship that belonged to God. If you established that, and they would do

what is right read gardless of how it affected them, okay or in a

nutshell. A simplified version is that they understood having rules or having rule rule

or rules okay in the present. So no, let's go to flow.

Everybody bowing, so bibola, no, no, no, no peer pressure,

no worry, bro, the guy is okay. On you do whatever

you do is find I'll stick to my guns. I will not because sometimes

we say this, right, it's okay, lie, you know, as

long as your heart don't accept outwardly can be doing it here. You all

say things like that, Right, it's okay. You know, I just

in in the circle or whatever. If everybody is doing this jollying or whatever,

I just do it. Lit It's okay. In my heart, I

still believe in God. No, it's a compromise. They are not willing

to okay, because they worship their God inside as well and also outside.

They make sure that there's no I guess there's no miscommunication about their position in

their stance. But you may ask, how did they do it even in

the face of death. You think it's something that's easy to do. I

don't think so, you know, definitely not. But if you look back

the chapters before, they've they've done small little things, little steps of faith,

and then it slowly built up to this amount of courage. I would

say, So it's not overnight thing. They developed faith muscles over time,

I believe, okay, And remember this in chapter one, you know they

were even something as simple as food, they did not violate it. They

want to stick to what God has installed for them, and even in terms

of the eating, because if they can't do this, you can't do death.

Rather, the small things they can't do big things. In chapter three,

I got a quote from Muhammad Ali, not very scriptural, but it's

okay. Muhammad Ali says this often isn't the mountains a hit that will weary

up, little pebble in your shoe that will wear So the little things casually,

you know, affect you, and you don't address the small things.

Yeah, so how do you do little things? Also paves the way is

big the big version of it also paves the way you handle bigger things because

if you cannot do the small, what more the big. So again back

to this, right they could do what they did is because they slowly build

those spiritual muscles of faith before they can even stand at the face of death

saying it's okay, la take me. You know, it's fine as long

as I do not compromise. So whenever you get tested by God, right

in the little things, sometimes you know, you shake it, they buckle.

Right, No, really, just obey, start or small and then

God will slowly build you and you'll pay. Bigger tests will come your ways.

Escially run try says that he'll prepare for bigger things. Okay, so

just obey. Now let's come back to the story. Here we are the

stakes are very high, their reputations at stake, their jobs that stake,

their lives at stake. Okay, this is a you know, a king

that is furious, fuming, fire, rowing up his top, no pun

intended. It's not nothing to the furnace, but he's already fuming. But

he had to say face or so to a certain extent, because as some

kind of a power struggle that's happening there. So the context is like this,

he had to win La essentially, so chapter verse nineteen. Rather then

King Nap was full of fury, and especially his face changed towards the three

guys, and he spoke and commanded them the heat of firs Beturen seven times

more. This again a threatler, I'm just to make sure I would dial

it up a bit more, okay, and commanded the certain men of Valor

the army that were behind him to bind the three guys and then cast him

the fire furnace. Of course, you know the story. Even the people

who true them in they didn't survive, okay. And therefore, because the

king commandment, the sorry, the the was urgent, the furnace was extremely

hot. The flames killed those men who took Shadrek Miche and Bettingo, and

the three men Shadrek Miche and fell down sorry, fell down bound in the

midst of the burning fiery furnace. Okay. Now, I just want to

say that if we're all there at the day right seeing what has happened,

right, I'm quite sure we are quite certain that they won't survive in fact,

right, and somebody you see some circus kind of show, you see

something very dangest, things like, I don't think it's gonna make it,

right, This is definitely not gonna make it. Why because it's the people

who through them as who couldn't make it. You actually seeing it in a

visually if you were there. Okay, So one I'm trying say is that

sometimes we I mean those who watch soccer and football and all that, sometimes

you know the two teams they are one is over whelmingly strong and one is

week that can't get seven year kind of thing. Right. So even when

you look at that, the people that probably think right, God zero or

God's people zero, King Nap one, just looking at the circumstances then and

then, okay, there's almost no doubt that they think that these guys were

incinerated just because of the condition, the scientific conditions. Okay, But for

that moment, even though it may seem that it is clearly that the King

Nap has won, he didn't. Right, Like I said, it wasn't

Enemy one God zero or King Nap one, God zero, It wasn't Satan

one God zero. But it's the other way around right. In fact,

Heaven won the others go so right, Enemy zero? Why because Heaven rules

in that scenario as well. Okay. If you look at verse twenty four,

then King Nap was astonished. And in some other versions they use the

expressions he jumped, he jumped in alarm. There's what some other versions that

you say? Okay, the missis like very shocked? U okay? And

he arose in haste and spoke saying to his counselors, did we not cast

three men bound into the midst of fire? It means do we do something

wrong? I'm a scientist, okay, so so sometimes I do things.

We do it very methodically to ensure that there's some repeatability. That means to

make sure that things react the way it reacts. So he's cushing himself,

do we do it correct? Was our methods correct? Didn't we die?

It up? Seven times? Didn't we two people that didn't? They die?

But how come this three guys didn't die? So he's questioning his um

what was done? Kay? Of course his counselors then say, what was

this? They answered true? O, King? Look, he answered,

I see four men? Okay, so there's four sorry, so there's four

men lose the miss in the midst of course story, there's a third sorry,

there's a fourth person in the mix, not just the three. And

then let's go to twenty six. Then Nadeza went near the mouth of the

fiery burning furnace and saying, shake every bett, nego, servants of the

most high God, come out, come here. Now, what has happened?

He's acknowledged that maybe he's not got anymore except the defeat lies another way

to put it in such a short spin, right, And then all the

counselors gathered, and then they saw the men of the whole bodies came out

from the fire no power, sorry, had no power, and their hair

of their and their heads were not not burnt, and the garments were not

affected, and the smell of fire was not in them. Okay, so

I know we've heard this story before, but don't let this, don't let

this, don't let your amazement and the wonder uh you know, lose the

significance of what this story actually means. It's actually red powerful because it's not

think short of a miracle. You know that what has happened, and of

course, uh, what this simply entails is that we really serve the God

of the Most High. And really, if you do not catch I'm trying

to say here, is that really Heaven rules in this portion of scripture,

God Most High. Sorry, King Neap wasn't the main character here, God

the fourth person in there was the main character. Is the happy ending partner

of the story. Okay, not only that he went into the fire.

And of course some if you want to read a bit more about this,

some theologist will say that this is the figure of Jesus, even though if

you read timeline wise, Jesus hasn't come yet. But to show the people

that Jesus is coming. So it's giving a fourtiest of what Christ coming to

earth will be like. Okay, um, yeah, So he comes into

the into our furnace. He'll take all judgment away, or condemnation or brokenness,

He'll take it away. And this is what it signifies. Now of

course I'm going to come to my last light. Over here, he says,

talks about God's promise. Okay, we did you say this. We

cannot avoid calamities, troubles and problems. Right. He didn't promise to deliver,

so he didn't promise that he will there were no trials in her life.

But one thing he did promise that He will always deliver us and sustain

us to those trials. Countless countless times. You see in the Bible,

even martyrs going through different things, they catch a glimpse of how God as

they serve. Even in the midst of their danger, they still you know,

got to do what God intended for them to happen. Okay, His

will is done. Okay, And like I said, God hasn't promised the

trials, but he promised to sustain us through your trials. And God himself,

in this example here, on this story here goes through almost literally goes

through the trials with us, all the three guys over there. And if

you look at some thirty four I prefer the NIV version. The righteous people

may may have many troubles, how many are righteous people? I hope you're

all righteous people here. So it's just to say, yuh, all of

us will cannot something. All of us will go through problems. We are

not exempted from it, even though you're righteous people. If I do good

karma and all the guy thinks, you know, I wouldn't go through these

problems. No, even the righteous people will have troubles. Not a very

popular verse to share on a Sunday, but it's just fact, la,

right, It's true. People who honor God, people who love God,

people who are righteous, will also have troubles. Okay. But the rest

of the verse says this, So this is the good part. But the

Lord delivers him from them all in his time, in his way, Heaven's

way, Heaven's time. Okay. He will rescue us. True, every

trial, every fire that we face, every furnace that you're going to thrown

seven times more. Still, okay, he will rescue his servants. That's

a guarantee, all because he says all at the end. Okay, So

let's finish up. So napkin, as I spoke saying, blessed be the

blessed be the God of shady go Okay. So he's proclaiming your God is

realer surrender okay, who send his angels and deliver his servants who trusted him

so you can never go wrong? And shot him at one try and say

is that you can never go wrong. You trust God even though things may

not pan out the way it naturally looks. And they have frustrated, sorry,

frustrated the King's world yielded their bodies that they should not serve nor worship

any god except their own god. So what's the ending here? King Napped

believed again because he believed before. After chapter one, he believed again,

sorry chatter, he believed. Chapter two he believed again. Again he believed

again the time. Okay, so as dramatic, I don't know why I

have to go to his drama before he believe again, or do you think

that the last drama was enough? But no, but he King Napped himself

acknowledged that Jehovah is real, He is powerful, and he's worthy to be

praised. You see what happens in West twenty nine. Therefore, I make

a decree while you make a new rule. You all any people, nation

or language which speaks anything amiss the God of these three guys will be cut

into pieces. Their houses shall be made an ash heap or simply means garbage.

Okay, I mean, this guy's rey punitive, like he just likes

to punish people, but it's still a reflection of what he really feels is

the real God. If you go against this real God that I understand right

now, you get punished. So in the span of a few verses,

right, it just changes his perspective. Again, a Uton has happened.

It's another way to put it, because these guys completely Uton, okay,

no, no, no, no pun intended to what we're doing right now

in the in the in the spirit of Uton. But transformation and revelation can

only happen when God is in the picture and when Heaven rules. Okay.

And that's why I said in the first of the first time we met,

God allowed things to happen, even in chapter one, for this to happen.

Otherwise you will not or he will not find God in some sense.

Okay. Of course, thirty years is then the king promoted Shadrach and Benego

in the province of Babylon. D n no, no, okay, let

me just wrap out a little bit. So we serve a God. And

sometimes it's very tempting for us to bow down to things right, to idologist

the systems, and it's okay, I know, But if you remain steadfast

right sometimes it allows not Sometimes most of the time, you set the stage

for God to to move. So you must understand right by you just staying

firm or standing firm in where you are right, you're displaying to people around

you on earth that Heaven rules. And this is what this three guys actually

did true, literally, not what they speak, but what they actually do.

Okay, And even an earthly king or earthly small good who rejected him

time and time again, has now come and say, okay, I get

it, I see it. So what I'm trying to say is that church,

you have the power to set the stage wherever you are. Do not

the spice, the things that you go through, or the places that you

are placed, and the calamities that you go through. If you just remain

firm and steadfast, I think that's where God can come in the picture.

So it's a hard check sometimes whereas are we seeing evidence of God wherever we

are? It's our faith affected? You know, are we seeing deliverance even

in our own lives? If it's not, then again it's something that we

need to have hard check. And again for many of us, maybe this

story may be familiar. Sometimes our principles sort of jeopardize. We may have

to bow down. You don't have to. Actually, just like this whole

three army goes over here. They trusted God even in a situation that may

seem impossible. God made it possible. So I'm just trying to encourage you

to just remain steadfast trust Him in all his ways. Again, as I

close, I'm going to come back to the fast approach. I'm just using

for simple acronyms here to summarize the key principles that we've learned from this story

today. Okay, and hopefully you take heart today. I use fast because

it's a season that we're in. Can be fast as quick as well if

I won't interpret it. But firstly, the first f is to firmly stand

on the faith that you really believe in. Refuse to compromise is another way

to put it. Even in the face of opposition, you need to take

that stand. Just like these three guys over here. They did not compromise

their beliefs even in facing death. So sometimes I don't think we are at

that level yet. Hopefully not that you're facing death yet. But definitely I

would say, with all face challenges, I think we need to stand firm

on your convictions and your principles. No compromises. It's the way to put

a way to put it. Okay, I do make it fit laugh,

So absolutely trust in God. But really it is trust in God. Just

laughing because I cracked my head to get it to fit, but anyway,

actually trusting God and trust his plan and his protection, okay, believing that

He's able to bring you through whatever it is, His will will be done

through you. So that unwavering trust in God and God's sovereignty and his plan

really is key here. And s is to strongly obey again forsting, strongly

obey obedience to God's command, okay, especially in this time where we are

talking about spiritual discipline, right, and as we go through Utah, whenever

things are difficult, whenever things are unpopular, know that the rewards in heaven

would outweigh the earthly things here, which is only temporal anyway. So that

is the essential command, so that we can live a life that honors Him,

and so that I think our reward like I said, and focus on

him rewards in heaven. And lastly, t begins to trust very forcedin rely

on God's deliverance. Okay, and rely, when I say rely, is

really an everyday thing. There's power in reliance, independency, and that's what

euthon is all about. We fast and we pray, so that we can

really rely on him right. Just as God has delivered Shadrad, Mische and

abdy Go from the fiery furnace, he is able to deliver us from any

difficult situation we face. You just have to rely on His power and trust

his perfect timing. We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit ax Judge Org. We are also active

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good week, a hit for you. God bless